Cruise ships often have lifeboat drills, which are a little bit sobering when you are in the middle of the North Atlantic. However, they help you prepare for a potential emergency that could happen. I find that it's a good idea to do the same thing with your life insurance and your estate planning.

A company’s 401(k) plan is a great savings tool. An employer’s 401(k) plan that offers a match can jumpstart your savings. Having a savings plan at work makes it easier to stay committed to saving money on a regular basis.

Saving money is always a challenge. The first step to setting up a savings program is to find out how you are currently spending your money. To start, I would encourage you to use Quicken ormint.com which will help you get a better handle on where your money is going.

Many people have 401(k) plan accounts from previous employers and they are not sure whether they should roll these funds over to their new employer’s 401(k) plan or to rollover these funds to an IRA account.